2016 | The Syrian Observer, Syria: Key Demands for Lasting Peace

This article by the Syrian Observer summarises the demands made by a gathering of 18 Syrian organisations working on transitional justice, accountability and the documentation of violations of human rights. They addressed their demands to the Syrian negotiating parties, the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) and the United Nations Special Envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura and his team.

Their demands include: (1) access by independent monitors to all prison and detention facilities in Syria and the release of individuals arbitrarily detained on political, ideological, religious, or sectarian grounds; (2) the establishment of a national and independent fact-finding commission with Syrian and international members to document serious violations of international law committed by all parties to the conflict; (3) replacement of the heads of the Syrian security apparatuses and launching of a comprehensive plan for security sector reform; (4) the establishment of clear mechanisms to facilitate the voluntary return of refugees and displaced persons and to restore their property and (5) the establishment of a national reparations program for both individual and collective reparations to all civilians affected by the conflict.